For a beginning wrestler, buying a pair of shoes is almost as critical as learning your first takedown. Purchasing the wrong pair could mean wasted money and extreme discomfort throughout an entire season.
Here are a few tips that will help you find the right brand and style of wrestling shoes that are right for both your feet and your budget.
Start Local, Consider the Internet
The internet is where the majority of the wrestling community finds their gear but don’t count out your local stores! They may offer deals and will almost always provide better service and advice than standard websites—and you may just walk away with the perfect pair without having to deal with the time and cost it takes to ship gear from the internet.
Unfortunately most local stores offer a limited selection of wrestling shoes and many wrestlers turn to the web for more options.
Internet retailers stock a huge assortment of wrestling shoes and offer a wide variety of brands, colors, and styles. To find sites for shoes and other gear just type “wrestling shoes” or “wrestling gear” into a search engine and see what sites are the most comprehensive and competitively priced.
When ordering shoes and gear from the internet, remember to factor in shipping time and shipping costs—you may have to pay a little extra if you are in a rush.
Brand vs. Brand
Just like regular sneakers or gym shoes, each brand of wrestling shoe has their own distinct fit and sizing system. Since you will be wrestling for hours on end in these shoes, it is important to find a pair that works for you and fits your specific needs.
It may be helpful for first-time buyers to try a wrestling shoe made by a manufacturer they are already familiar with to maintain consistency. Most major shoe companies are also in the wrestling business: Nike, Asics, and Adidas are just a few major brands that make quality shoes for the sport.
Elite wrestlers typically like their shoes to fit snug, but many younger wrestlers (with constantly growing feet) prefer a looser fit.
Asics and Adidas recommend that you buy a wrestling shoe one-half size larger than your regular gym shoe size and Nike suggests buying wrestling shoes up to one size larger than usual. Keep this in mind when trying to determine the right fit, but know that wrestling shoes must be broken in and will stretch out a slightly over time. Again, how these shoes fit is totally up to you and your needs as a wrestler.
Don’t worry about making a mistake—most retailers provide sizing guarantees or insurance for no additional cost or a small fee. A few extra dollars in the beginning may be worth it to find a pair of shoes that fits correctly.
Hot Tip: Need Some Extra Room?
If you have wider feet, consider a shoe with a wider cut for a little extra comfort. Many brands now manufacture shoes in wider sizes, as the narrow cut of most styles has been long been a common complaint among wrestlers. You can also buy a regular shoe in a ½ or full size larger than you would wear normally. Check the product specifications to determine if you need to adjust your size or can choose a wider version of the same wrestling shoe.
Setting a Timeline and Budget
“How much money am I willing to spend and how long will the shoes last?”
“Am I going to practice and compete in the same pair?”
These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself before purchasing a pair of wrestling shoes.
Investment
A pair of wrestling shoes typically lasts between one to two years, but the more time you spend on the mat, the bigger the beating on your shoes. Current shoe styles cost anywhere from $30-$130 (youth sized shoes usually cost considerably less). The price of a shoe does not always reflect the quality of the product—well made shoes from previous years may be extremely low in price, while newer, but inferior shoes may be tagged at a high price.
For a beginner, choosing a shoe in the middle price range ($50-$75) might be the best choice. Even the highest priced shoes are susceptible to wear and it’s not uncommon to see a wrestler with a brand new pair of wrestling shoes that are taped up due to rips and tears…expect the worst!
Switch it up
Many elite wrestlers have several pairs of shoes that they rotate in order to get the most out of favorite style. If you are a serious wrestler and constantly on the mat, it is good to keep two sets of shoes—one for practice and one strictly for matches.
Let your practice shoes take the beating in training every day and keep your match shoes fresh and in good condition. After a season, you can then turn your match shoes into your practice shoes and buy a new pair just for competitions.
The Sole Matters
There are two types of soles offered in current styles: the split-sole and the unisole.
Many manufacturers will include the type of sole in the description of the product. If they don’t, you can easily determine the type of sole just by looking at the bottom of the shoe. The split-sole is composed of two distinct sections separated at the arch, while the unisole is typically more flat and even with no separation at the arch.
Split-sole shoes are typically more flexible. Unisoles provide greater traction on the wrestling mat. Wrestlers usually swear by one or the other, but again, the sole type is an individual choice, dependent only on what you need as a wrestler.
Try on a teammates shoe or test the styles in a store before making the decision—it could be the difference between getting stuck with the a sole you hate or finding the one you love.
Consider Color
The color or print of the shoes should be secondary to their fit and feel. Choosing a color is important to match a uniform or for showing team spirit. Black shoes are very popular and many retailers keep more black in stock than any other color. Red, blue, and green are also common styles, as these are the colors used to determine scoring in competition.
Take Your Pick
Now that you understand the various types of wrestling shoes and their details, finding a pair to fit your needs will become much easier. When shopping, consider the information discussed in this guide to ensure you’re getting a quality product that you’ll be happy with. Lastly, don’t settle for a shoe that you aren’t sure about. If the shoe doesn’t meet your standards, don’t be afraid to return or exchange it. How you feel will reflect on how you will wrestle, so choose your shoes wisely!
